...this month has flown by! But then again, October is usually my busiest month, and this year has been no exception. Last week my parents were visiting with us--a very special treat! Here's my dad helping my oldest with math homework one morning...

A couple of weeks ago, I looked out the window and saw my youngest skiing down a "hill" on one of our "sleds." I couldn't pass up the picture! The land around here is pretty flat, so the kids make use of any incline they can, especially the slope going up to the fence row behind the barn.

They also use anything as a sled since we don't get enough snow to warrant buying real sleds. The favorite is an old aluminum baking tray that they curled the front edge so it glides better. This one works great on ice, and surprisingly well on this fall's brown grass.

I've had a couple of projects in the works recently that have kept me hopping. One of them is a formatting a book for Diane Reed Loew, 101 Ways to Celebrate the Ordinary, which will be available shortly.

The other project is a new group blog I'm a part of: The Barn Door. I was able to set this new site up and I'm really excited about it. We'll be opening the doors real soon!

This month, as part of my 40 days of celebrating and preparing, I've been seeking God for direction next year, and He's answering and confirming things as only He can. I'm really looking forward to seeing how things play out--and I'll be sharing more about this in the next 10-12 days.

Welcome to Patterings, Alice! Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
It happened when my husband (now ex) said I needed to stop filling all our notebooks with partial manuscripts and finish something, or decide to be serious about writing and learn how to do it properly. That’s when I started getting Writer’s Digest Magazine and compiling info to write and submit.

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite? Why?
I love all my books – each of them are just a bit different, with the Bouncing Grandma Mystery series, which are cozies (The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, The Case of the Mystified M.D.), TOTALLY different from my serious mystery/romantic suspense that I usually write (Mirrored Image, which releases Oct. 1)

Glory Harper, the “Grandma” in the Bouncing Grandma books, is a total nut, and I can’t help but love her and the other characters. But Cassandra Chase and Detective Jeff McMichaels from Mirrored Image have been living so long in my imagination that they have become a part of me in a way only another writer could understand.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
Not wasting time – but that’s my major obstacle whether I’m writing or not. As for overcoming it . . . I guess I’m a work in progress. ;)

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote? Why?
Um . . . Lynette Sandler. I wouldn’t say she “interested me most,” but she was certainly intriguing. Lynette dies at the beginning of the book, but without her murder--and the subsequent discoveries made as the book progresses, you’d definitely lose a lot.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Or what is your strangest habit?
Became a writer. I think that’s pretty quirky.

I have a touch of OCD, so I have a routine I go through every day before I can start writing—checking email, playing a few games of Spider Solitaire while it downloads, and such. I’m trying to break the “need” for this, but without a lot of success so far.

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
Um, yep, there are. Sometimes my OCD comes in handy.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
A day I could spend with my family—husband, kids, grandkids—without having to think about going back home and resuming the same old same old.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Mystery, suspense, thriller, historical, time travel (this fascinates me). But if the book is good, it doesn’t make any difference what genre it is!

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
Nope. If the words are flowing, I don’t even want to take a break to eat!

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
The necessity of forgiveness crops up a lot in my writing, as does the power of good over evil—though it sometimes seems like evil triumphs for a while, there is always hope and faith. I don’t know that I deliberately put these in my books, but I know they’re in them.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
As I said earlier, I’m a work in progress, so I feel I’m constantly learning. Mostly, though, it’s that I need to listen more to Him and not think I can do “it” on my own. I KNOW this already, but sometimes He has to shake me to get my attention.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?Mirrored Image officially releases Oct.1st. It’s a mystery/romantic suspense, with the most awesome cover!

Alice Arenz is giving away a copy of Mirrored Image. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, November 8th and check back on Tuesday, November 9th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on yesterday's spotlight with Alice. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Alice K. Arenz, author of October 2010 suspense Mirrored Image, has been writing since she was a child. Her earliest publication was in the small, family-owned newspaper where her articles, essays, and poems were frequently included.

In the mid-nineties, her writing earned her a stint with a well-known New York literary agency, and although it failed to produced the hoped for results, her determination to become published eventually led her to Sheaf House.

Arenz also writes cozy mysteries under A.K. Arenz. The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, 2008, was a finalist in the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year contest. The second in the Bouncing Grandma Mystery Series, The Case of the Mystified M.D., 2009, was the February 2010 ACFW Book Club choice, and also won the 2010 ACFW Carol Award for Mystery.

Eccentric newspaper columnist Cassandra Chase and by-the-book Detective Jeff McMichaels clash over the murder investigation of Lynette Sandler - a woman who looks eerily like the popular columnist.

The uncanny similarities of the two women's lives and a rash of attacks on Cassie, lead her to the conclusion that she, not Lynette Sandler, was the murderer's original mark.

For McMichaels, the Sandler case becomes more than just a test of his mental acumen. Despite departmental regulations and his own common sense, he finds himself drawn to a woman he was determined to dislike. But can he keep her alive long enough for their relationship to grow?

Here's an excerpt of Mirrored Image:

A dull ache near the center of her back accompanied the gradual return of consciousness. What began as a hot, searing pain was now a nondescript thudding, like an overactive pulse point.

She tried to focus on her surroundings, to move, but her limbs remained frozen to the floor where she had fallen.

A sudden onslaught of memory brought back the shock and horror of the cold steel blade plunging into her flesh. She closed her eyes and fought the vomit rising in her throat. She would not be sick, could not allow such an indignity.

She knew she was dying, could feel her life force drain from her as the blood oozed from the wound in her back. There was no fear of death; it would be a welcome release into the arms of friends waiting on the other side—friends who had not betrayed her.

Betrayal, treachery, and deceit. Ugly words for an even uglier deed that conjured images of the man who accepted thirty pieces of silver to deliver his Lord into the hands of His enemies.

Tears of anger and resentment stung her eyes as rage over the act of disloyalty spurred a primal instinct geared toward survival.

Alice Arenz is giving away a copy of Mirrored Image. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, November 8th and check back on Tuesday, November 9th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on tomorrow's interview with Alice. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Some days are just plain important, and the third day in a fast is one of those days. It's the day that Israel traditionally looked for deliverance (Hosea 6:1-2). Esther had called her people to fast, and it was a drastic fast. But when you're in dire straights, that's what you have to do. On the third day, Esther dressed in her royal robes and went to the king. Not in her neglige. She put on her full queen attire, her power suit. That girl knew how to dress and she dressed for the job she was called to do.

A paramount theme in Esther is what God can do when we resolve to obey and “if I perish I perish.” ~Beth Moore

Esther faced her fear and stepped forward into the the king's court not knowing how he would respond. It took great determination to step into view, but she did it, and when King Xerxes saw her, he saw the queen of Persia. Xerxes extended the golden scepter to her, just as our great and might King does for us. God offers not only extends the scepter of Christ's cross, and God offers us deliverance through that cross. What an image that is to hold on to!

Isn't it interesting that although the king asked Esther what she wished, and gave her almost the equivalent of a blank check, she simply invited him to a private dinner. And Haman, too. Why on earth would Esther invite the man who instigated the massacre of her people? Why didn't she just ask for Haman's head and be done with it?

Remember, the book of Esther paints a picture of God's providence working behind the scenes, even when we can't see Him and think He's nowhere around. The intricacies of God's details are amazing. Haman's presence at that private dinner with the king and queen is one of those intricacies. Esther was ready and in motion, so what held her back when Xerxes asked her a second time? God did. There were still details to work out. Details for Xerxes and Haman.

Esther was seeking deliverance for her people, not personal, or even national revenge. If she were after revenge, she would've asked for Haman's death, but she knew her goal, and revenge wasn't it. Revenge doesn't get you far, but deliverance? Deliverance saves you. If Esther had forced her hand at that first private banquet, the outcome would have been oh-so different because although the timing seemed perfect and the opportunity sure was there, there was something that held Esther back—and she listened to whatever it was. She may have been ready but it was the right time for Xerxes yet. He wasn't ready to hear the man who wore his signet ring—his trusted friend—had decreed his wife's death.

There are times when we think “it's time!” and we want to race ahead through the open door, but we've got to stay tuned in to God and go with God's timing, and often that means we need to wait and keep silent!

Never in our wait is God ever inactive. We've got to trust that if He asks us to wait, God is doing something! ~Beth Moore

Haman left that private banquet with the king and queen of Persia with such a fat head, he probably had a hard time fitting through the king's gate. But he fit. I wonder if seeing Mordecai sitting there, not even standing to his feet this time, helped Haman squeeze through that gate? Haman was so fixated on Mordecai that he was actually in bondage to Mordecai, instead of it being the other way around.

Make no mistake, we serve whatever masters us, and nothing masters us more completely than the person who refuses to bow to our rights, desires, or demands. We become fixated on the one from whom we cannot get what we want. ~Beth Moore

Haman went home, gathered his family and friends and spent the night partying and celebrating his greatness. When he remembered Mordecai, his wife and the others advised him to hang Mordecai high—to disgrace him even after he had been killed. That's pretty drastic for a quick fix! But those kind of fixes usually are.

Thank God Esther did not settle for a quick fix!

A paramount theme in Esther is what God can do when we resolve to obey and “if I perish I perish.” Any time He calls us to die, His purpose is to reveal larger life. ~Beth Moore

Have you resolved to obey God and if you perish you perish? Have I?
**Why do you think Esther invited Xerxes and Haman back for a second banquet?
**Are you so fixated on something that it's stealing your joy and holding you in bondage?
**Do you ever give people poor advice just to shut them up so you don't have to listen to them or to put an end to a situation?

Welcome to Patterings, Michelle. Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
I had found Cynthia Rutledge on the internet and contacted her as a fan. She was my favorite Love Inspired author at the time. She wrote pretty hot and interesting inspirationals and told me how she got started. I thought if she could do it, so could I. But without God continuing to inspire me, I would have dropped out long ago. There are a lot of things to discourage authors in this world, so without God behind me (and my husband and kids) I'd be sunk.

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite? Why?
Honestly, they are all fun in there own way. And like any mother, my latest baby is my favorite, but I love them all. So First Love is high on my list. It's edgy and risky regarding the topic and subject matter, but it's all from my heart.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
Discouragement is definitely high on the list. I just call one of my writing buddies on the phone and ask them to tell me I don't suck as an author and to remind me why I am even doing this. They always have just the right words to say. I also read reviews people have written that are truly heart-felt. That always gives me more creative energy.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote? Why?
Probably Tara, because she was a responsible and loving character who wanted to do the right thing but had a weakness for Josiah resulting from some past insecurities. She was so real I kept forgetting she was created in my imagination.

What is your strangest habit?
I don't know how strange this is but I usually read at least five books at the same time and I have books in every room in my house. I even have books at my office.

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
When it comes to writing? Not really. I only write when I get the muse. If I force myself to do it then it is no longer enjoyable to me… Wait! I just thought of something. Paying taxes on my earnings. Yeah, I tend to drag my feet on that and wait until late March to send it in.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
Eating calorie free (but scrumptious) chocolate while writing the most amazing novel ever that was sure to hit the best-seller's list, and all of this to celebrate signing my latest six figure digit deal with a large publishing house. (You didn't say it had to be achievable, right? So my dream-fantasy is outlined above.)

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I tend to favor historical romances over all others. I also enjoy contemporary romances. It just has to be original and fresh. Interesting is always good. Sizzlings gives it more weight. I am a romantic at heart, so it's hard to avoid favoring those types of books. However, I have been known to enjoy books that are not in any way romantic. They have to be really good, though, and hold my attention. Not an easy task…

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
Not really, but water and coffee are always good. Plus, if I drink enough of them both I am forced to take occasional breaks and go to the bathroom, which is necessary to prevent me from getting so stiff I can't move after typing for hours on end.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
Redemption and forgiveness are my favorite themes. I like to wreck my characters' lives and then show how God binds their wounds and carries them through some of their hardest trials. When everything looks bleak, that's when God's love shines the brightest.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
That I need to write the stories He has inspired me to write without worrying about how to justify things if asked. Fortunately I haven't been challenged by people very much at all (no puritanical folks condemning me to hell for story content so far.) Also, not to worry about selling more books. God is taking care of me and I've got books releasing through 2012 so there is no rush. He is teaching me the beauty of patience.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?First Love releases in October 2010 (e-book)Letting Go (Sheaf House) releases in Feb 2011First Response releases in June 2011 (e-book)Their Separate Ways releases in July 2011Finding Love releases in Sept 2011Keeping Promises releases in Feb 2012Untitled releases in July 2012Moving On releases in Sept 2012
Also, please check my website books page for current release dates.

You can purchase First Love from Amazon:

Michelle Sutton is giving away a copy of First Love. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, November 1st and check back on Tuesday, November 2nd to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on yesterday's spotlight with Michelle. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Josiah and Tara had enjoyed acting in their high school plays. They had also been each other's first lover... in fact; most of the time they'd spent together had been in Tara's bed. When Josiah became a Christian, he left Tara to go to college and didn't look back.

Four years later, Josiah is back in town when his father has a near-fatal heart attack. When they meet up again they realize how much their separation had hurt each of them. But now Tara is a Christian and is trying to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Josiah wants Tara back, but neither knows how to relate to each other without the physical intimacy they once shared. They are determined to do things right this time, but find it more challenging than they'd anticipated.

Here's an excerpt of First Love:

She hated to spell it out for him, but it seemed necessary to prevent him from getting the wrong idea. "You're here for a haircut. Don't expect more."

"Good." Grabbing the black cloth to drape over his shirt, she flipped it open and then pointed to the chair. He sat and she tied it around his neck, a stress headache creeping into her head. Irritation shredded her nerves. Rather than sitting, he peered at her with an incredulous look in his eyes.

"Come on," she winced and touched her forehead. "I don't have much time."

"Aren't you gonna..." Josiah pointed at his hair and nodded toward the sink.

"No." She snapped the cloth again. "Just sit."

"But, that's the best part." Ruffling his hair with both hands, he sighed. "All right, but my hair is sweaty and dusty. I think it'll be easier to cut if it's clean first. I'll even pay you extra."

Did he think he could buy her forgiveness?

But he did have a point. Taking in the faint cloud of dust forming beside his head as he ruffled his hair, Tara sighed. She rolled her eyes and pointed at the sink with her elbow. "All right, all right. Just hurry up. I need to get home."

Josiah crept in slow steps and glanced over his shoulder. Tempted to push him along, she refrained, deciding the less hands-on contact she had with him the better. Maybe that was what he wanted. To get her riled. Well, it was working.

The sooner she cut his hair and sent him on his way, the sooner she'd have time to think about what his return to town might mean. While tempted to quit the acting group to avoid seeing him, she refused to run away. Besides, playacting the part of a socialite at special events in town was the only fun hobby she allowed herself. She refused to give up her only link to acting.

No, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of quitting. She'd keep playing the part and enjoy every minute of it. No man would take the fun out of her life ever again. Not even someone as devastatingly handsome and as important to her as Josiah had once been.

You can purchase First Love from Amazon:

Michelle Sutton is giving away a copy of First Love. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, November 1st and check back on Tuesday, November 2nd to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on tomorrow's interview with Michelle. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Did I ever mention that October is one of my busiest months? ay yi yi! It is! And this last weekend always takes the prize for the busiest weekend of the busiest month. That translates into no Esther post on Friday. *blush* I'll get it up for this coming Friday and just move on.

Thanks to several church kids, here's how October started out:

Let me tell you, these kids are expert TP'ers! And they've had a lot of practice! This was just part of our yard. Oh the joys of having a huge yard in the country. LoL.

This weekend we went to one of our favorite events of our year: Encampment. It's a reenactment of the French and Indian War days and we love it. This is our 9th year going and we've gotten to know the Peacocks, a musical group that plays period music. We spend a lot of time in the music tent enjoying them and visiting. The group is full of personality and we them. This year they brought along two of their friends, and they were great additions. My girls love harassing the man playing the fiddle, if that tells you anything about them. ;-)

So, there's my excuse for no Esther post, and a taste of what I've been doing. I did get two ideas for posts, which you'll be seeing later, so it was a productive time in a couple of different ways. ;-)

Fall has hit southern Illinois and the leaves are all changing color. It made me wonder how my leaves look when they turn. Am I a joyless brown? A mediocre mustard? I hope not! I want to be like the Sugar Maples--glowing with God in my life. It's made me stop and make some adjustments in what I'm doing so that I can have beautiful color in the season changes of my life.

And we have 3 book winners! Carole is the winner of Trish Perry's book, The Perfect Blend.Sunny has won DeAnna Dodson's book, Letters in the Attic, andJoanne is the winner of Lena Nelson Dooley's book, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico.

~*~*~*~

Hey, there's a word I like in the fall... Golden. Golden is good in the fall. So are red and orange! Makes me want to drive down South Main and check out the Sugar Maples...

How about you? Are you doing what you need to so you glow beautifully when seasons in your life change?

Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
I think that happened so many years ago, I don't remember. I have always enjoyed writing and always believed "someday" I would write seriously. Raising 7 children and moving every 2 years, I couldn't wrap myself up in it. But, now, I can. One day I got up, went to the computer and said "today is the day." I started writing Rebecca and Heart. That book went to the Bologna Children's Book Fair in 2008 and 2009 and generated a lot of interest, but, in the end, it didn't get picked up. This year it was acquired as an ebook on Storyrealm.com. Then I began Avery and Gunner. The first book went to Bologna in 2009 and a major publisher wanted it and wanted film rights, so that was pretty exciting. I did all the revisions they asked, learned a lot, and after about 18 months, they decided not to take it. I learned just this week that Avery and Gunner 1861-1865 is going to contract with Journey Forth Publishing in Greenville, SC.

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite? Why?
Hmm. Honestly? Everything I write is fun. Otherwise, why bother. Everything is new, interesting, and I love research. That's probably why I enjoy historical fiction. But, Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog, was a giggle and lots of fun. ( Released Sept. 2010). My children's books have all been fun. I love to write short stories and have won some contests, that's always fun. But, I guess, I'd have to say that I have the most fun learning quirky history.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote?
That's like asking which is the favorite child or which dog I love most. Avery is like my son. I know him. I admire him. I love him. I brought him into this world! Rebecca, a sweet autistic child of God; I'm so glad I got to meet her. She, too, is fiction. But my fiction characters tell me their stories. I don't fit them into mine.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
My most difficult obstacle is not telling the historical base. I've learned that the best approach for me is to go ahead and tell it. Write it like a history book as clearly, factually, and succinctly as possible. When I'm happy with it, then I chop it up, rewrite it dialogue, put in the contractions, make it informal, and decide which character wants to say which part. This was a huge challenge for me when writing Bread Upon the Water. This is a true story of a boy who left Vietnam as a "boat person" because he wanted to be a priest. There is so much background that middle schoolers wouldn't know that's important to the story. It was a challenge to incorporate it into the story, when it could be a story all by itself. (That manuscript is looking for a home.) The Vietnamese are quiet people and they wouldn't have talked about these history making events. Tien, my character and true life friend, doesn't use contractions. His speech is very formal as all his family is. But, publishers would call that stilted and not realistic, difficult to read. Editors would change it, so I might as well start out that way, right? But, since I know the sound of Tien's voice, writing it a different way was difficult.
The characters in my new release are many. It's multi-charactered. That's because this book, Just for the Moment, isn't about a character, and it's really not about the dogs either. It's about moments. It's about those beautiful moments when the therapy dog reaches a human soul and makes a difference, even if it's just for that moment. I've loved all the people my dogs have touched, and some of them really are characters in a real sense. They are all interesting, real people.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Oh, dear. I think you should ask my husband. I know a lot of people think dancing with a dog is quirky. We belong to WCFO, World Canine Freestyle Organization. Freestyle is dog dancing. Hmm. That does sound a bit quirky doesn't it. Yeah, costumes,sequins, music, tadah.

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
No. I schedule them as early in the morning as I can. I get it over with. I don't do well with dread hanging over me. Just do it and get on with life.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
A perfect day would look like the one I'm looking at today. It's an incredible morning here in the mountains. My desk is in the loft of our log house and the wall is a window. I can see the clear sky, the changing leaves, wildlife and birds. My dogs are curled at my feet. I'm getting ready to send Bread Upon the Waters to a couple more houses. My husband is walking down the driveway towards the house. Why's he coming home this morning? This is shaping up perfectly.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read all the time. I read lots of different things because I belong to two bookclubs. Last year I took college classes at Brevard College. I took YA/Lit and we read 9 novels. It was a wide range and a real stretch for me.( I'm called a nontraditional student. That means I'm older than the professor.) We read a graphic novel and a science fiction which I would never have read on my own. My favorite of those 9 was The Book Thief, least favorite was Looking for Alaska, which gagged me. I just finished reading Galway Bay. It's absolutely stunning, so well crafted. I rank it up there with Vanishing Point, another beautiful book. I've also recently enjoyed Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. My all-time favs always turn out to be historical fiction.

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
That's funny. I don't really like food too much. If I didn't need it to live, I'd opt out of meals. But, when I was taking the Smoky Mountain Writers Class last spring, one of the women there said, with a perfectly straight face, that her advice to writers was this: "Whenever writers are feeling stress...either too much, or not enough...you should always, always, eat chocolate." I try to remember that.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
The spiritual themes I like to write about has mostly to do with the innate goodness of people, the spirit that drives them. I like to write about people who find their strength in their faith. That would be Avery, and it would be Tien.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
Patience. Humility. Writing takes both. I think that's why the Lords' time for me to write is this late in my life. The early me was in a great hurry, on a tight schedule (for 12 people in the household!) and I couldn't have waited for a book to take five years. I think I would have taken critique hard and personal. It would have been discouraging. At this point in my life, I have nothing to prove, I'm very confidant, I love to learn new things, and I love to see my writing improve. Yes, I'd say patience and humility; He's been working on me for a lot of years getting me ready for this phase in my life.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog released in September. It's my first manuscript between covers and I'm very excited about it. Now I'm busy marketing and I'm enjoying that, too. Rebecca and Heart and Beth's Backyard Friends went live on September 8 on Storyrealm.com. Avery and Gunner are just going to contract, so I don't know the release date, probably 2012. I hope to find a home for Bread Upon the Water in the next months. I've got two children's stories out and about: Amanda's Magic, and Walker Hound of Park Avenue. Their day will come.
If you'd like to find Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog you can find it at Indie Book Stores and www.therapydogstories.com, www.Dogwise.com, and book chains.
Thank you, this has been fun. Deanna

Deanna Klingel is giving away a copy of Just For the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, October 25th and check back on Tuesday, October 26th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on yesterday's spotlight with Deanna. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Deanna K. Klingel lives with her husband (48 years but who's counting) and two golden retrievers, Lily and Jessie, in the beautiful western North Carolina mountains, which is often referred to as God's country. Deanna and Dave have 7 grown children and 10 grands.

She is a member of North Carolina Writer’s Network, Society of Childrens’ Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Royal Scribblers of Cashiers.

Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog by Deanna Klingel is a poignant, yet sweetly humorous spiritual journey into the therapy dog ministry of Lily and Jessie, two Golden Retrievers who visit health care facilities.

Steven Manchester says, "In many years of editing, dozens and dozens of manuscripts, this one is among the top three."

Here's an excerpt of Just For the Moment:

Calla's Valentine Lily of the Valley

I located a breeder on the AKC website that had puppies on the ground. I e-mailed her and we made arrangements to visit. Lily was one of ten beautiful puppies, six weeks old. But, in my Lyme Fog, typical of the disease, I hadn’t really grasped “puppy.” I was saying “puppy,” but when I was greeted at the door by a beautiful, smiling 67 pound golden, it was love at first sight. This was the puppy I wanted; she was the dog I’d been dreaming about. The breeder thought I was kidding, of course.

“Well, if you like this dog, I’ll show you which puppy is for you. I have a little female that is exactly like her mother at this age in looks, behavior, and temperament.”

I was blown away. Puppy? Oh–a puppy! The lovely dog at the door was the puppy’s mother, not for sale. A puppy… that’s right, puddles on the floor, shoes chewed, painful nips on the ankles. Oh, my gosh, what have I done? Puppies are little! I wanted a dog like Candy that I could lean into and hug. I really hadn’t gotten my Lyme-fogged brain around “puppy” until now. But it didn’t take long for the fear to subside and for love to take over. We went back to Virginia to get her when she was ten weeks old and brought her home to the mountains forever. She was born on Valentine’s Day and became ours on Easter weekend. We call her Lily.

Lily did piddle on the floor a couple of times. She did chew up Dave’s brand new shoe. And she did make me cry out in pain with her puppy teeth. But she learned very quickly. I look back at those puppy days now and realize that she has been a therapy dog all her life. She began as a puppy to know not to trip or nip. She never pushed through a door, raced on the stairs, dragged, or jumped on me, and never got on the bed. She was always beside me where I could reach her. She watched me and she figured out a lot of things that I didn’t know she’d need to know later on. She made my convalescing days a sweet time of bonding and learning.

As I got stronger and more determined to have fun with my dog, we took obedience classes, agility training, (where I fell down a few times), and canine freestyle (dancing) classes. With nice manners she easily passed her Canine Good Citizen test. I think it had more to do with her mother dog’s example and early training than her training with me.

I didn’t really know yet what therapy dog was all about, but it crept into our lives, and she passed the Therapy Dog International certification test with flying colors. Knowing how much she had done for my own recovery, I wanted to share her with others who might benefit from her gentle presence at their bedside. And so began her ministry as a therapy dog.

Deanna Klingel is giving away a copy of Just For the Moment. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, October 25th and check back on Tuesday, October 26th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on tomorrow's interview with Deanna. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Recently I felt like a kaleidoscope. Like someone rolled the tumbler and all the pieces I thought fit together so nicely spun wildly out of control. Bits and pieces spinning around inside me, making me feel as fractured as those individual pieces look. What I forgot, until my friend handed me her special kaleidoscope to see, is the beauty made by those bits of color.

Seeing that beauty made me wonder how it could be that pretty in such a spinning, jumbled, fractured place. It was a graphic reminder that God can make beauty emerge from the broken places in our lives. If we just let Him spin the tumbler.

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.' ~Jeremiah 29:11-14 NAS

When God twirls the kaleidoscope of our lives, let's not just close our eyes and wail. Let's pour our heart out to Him and watch closely as He works, and there will beauty in the spinning, fractured colors.

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. ~Psalm 62:5-8 NAS

Is your life like a kaleidoscope? Look for the beauty God is creating with all those colorful bits and pieces of your life. It's there.

This week, in Esther 4, we studied the pivotal point in Esther's life, and how God used a huge crisis to turn her, and her people, in the direction He wanted.

Mordecai heard the edict Haman concocted and he hit the streets in sackcloth and ashes—not the kind of clothing he could wear inside the king's gate, so he parked himself in front of it and wailed. But it wasn't just Mordecai wailing. It was all the Jews. Can you imagine the sound? Loud, anguished wailing. Truly a haunting and gut-wrenching sound. Do you remember when this took place? During Passover—a time that should have been a happy time for God's people.

When Esther heard Mordecai was in mourning, after her initial anguish, she sent clothes to Mordecai. After all, Esther's life in the palace was all based on appearances. But God was calling her to more. He was calling her to a life of transparency and honesty, even though it could cost her her life. And look where she was: 30 days after her last visit with her husband. 30 days too late to be able to talk with the king about it.

Through their messenger, Mordecai made sure Esther understood what was going on and let her know that she had to deal with the problem, that she couldn't ignore and expect to be exempt from the edict because she was in the palace. He knew that relief and deliverance would come for his people, with or without Esther. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?

The hard truth of Mordecai's exhortation to Esther also applies to us. We can refuse to walk in obedience to God or cower in fear from our calling and He will undoubtedly still accomplish His agenda. As for us, however, we will pass up the fulfillment of our own entire life-purpose and we—and perhaps even “our father's family”—will miss a mighty work. ~Beth Moore

Esther 4 mirrors Joel 2:12-17 in many ways, and look what God wrote in Joel before the Jews ever landed in Persia:“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him... Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation... and let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not make Your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'”

Esther had a choice: listen to Mordecai, obey and possibly die, or ignore the call and die. What a choice! Look what she did: she followed the path Joel pointed them down. The path of seeking God and His way. Esther faced her fear and did not let it manipulate her.

Courage is when you look in the face of your fear and you don't deny it, you deny it's authority over you.~Beth Moore

The most common command in Scripture is Do not be afraid! God knows how fearful we can be and many times Jesus said Take courage. I Am with you! He didn't say He'd take us out of the situation, He promised to be with us—but we need to TAKE the courage He offers us. It will always be possible to be brave because God is with us.

This week in our study of Esther chapter 5 be on the look-out for this week's scenario: It's tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear. Conditional trust in God will leave us in the tight fist of fear, but we can say, “If this thing happens to me, then God will take care of me.”

If you have the audios or the videos of this study, listen to or watch Session 4: If You Remain Silent. If you don't have them, you can download this week's audio here for $3.99 and the video here for $4.99. These are optional. If you do not have the audio or the video, you can find the Viewer Guide answers here. This week's viewer guide is on pages 104 & 105 in the workbook.

How about you?
**Have you tried to dress up a problem to make it seem better? Or have you tried to fix a problem by making it appear better?

**Have you ever felt like God's timing is all wrong and that the call came at the worse time possible? If you have, then you're not alone. That's how Esther felt, too.

**Has God called you to a task that you feel is far too much to even ask? That it would reveal too much of what you've carefully tucked away in a safe corner of your heart? Maybe you went through those things for such a time as this.

Remember, there's nobody in our lives that is a bigger obstacle in the fulfillment of our calling than we ourselves. What are you going to choose?

Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
Once upon a time, I was a teacher but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do when my sister suggested I start writing, “because I was always scribbling in a journal.” That seed took root and grew. And at the end of the school year, I quit teaching to become a writer. So writing was never a hobby for me. From there it’s been a long journey of almost twenty years. Quite an adventure!

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite? Why?
Whichever book I’m writing is usually the one that is the most fun. Facelift was difficult for me to write because I needed to start writing it the month after my father passed away. In a way, I was walking a path similar to Kaye’s in the book because I had to choose joy. I also needed an emotional facelift. So I think in going through that it actually helped me to write it.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
In writing Facelift, it was sitting myself in a chair and getting the words to come, being patient and not forcing them, just enticing them onto the page. Quite often staring at the blank page is more difficult for me. I actually like the rewriting process better. Once there are words on the page, I can maneuver them and fix them, rearrange or even delete. But a blank page…that’s so hard!

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote? Why?
That’s a tough question because the different characters all kept my interest. Marla was probably the first character that came to me. She’s the ex-mother-in-law who has a botched facelift. But Kaye’s resilience intrigued me. And then there was Jack. I kept learning new and interesting things about him. Loved him! But then there was Cousin It. She was a ton of fun because I used a lot of experiences from my labradoodle puppy, The Hilo Monster (as we affectionately call her).

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
That’s another tough one. I don’t think of myself as quirky but I must be because I come up with pretty quirky characters, including the book I’m writing right now—an Amish/vampire book. That may be just plain wacky!

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
Marketing. Marketing is hard for me. It’s way, way, way out of my comfort zone, more like the Twilight Zone.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
A few weeks ago, I experienced one of those perfect days. I was in Kauai with my family. I woke up early, long before my husband or children did, and I wrote a few pages on a proposal while sitting out on the lanai and listening to the surf. Then when they woke up, we went for breakfast then to the beach for sun and snorkeling. Later that afternoon, I was lying in a hammock, listening to the surf (again!), watching the waves roll in and reading. It was a perfect day.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I’m very eclectic in my reading. I read books with my kids, so anything from children’s and YA, which is often fantasy, to Amish to literary to NY Times best sellers, from romance to thrillers. I like a wide assortment of books. I even love to read biographies. Those are fascinating!

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
If I allow myself: peanut M&Ms. But I try to restrain myself on that.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
I usually just write whatever the character needs but I will say perfectionism has come up a couple of times. But the books were completely different.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
Trust. And little baby steps with that. But He is so faithful and loving in His teaching. I’m also in the middle of studying Daniel, which has been a wonderful study and has in so many ways mirrored what I wrote about in Facelift.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?Facelift releases October 1st! After that, Forsaken, the first book of the Plain Fear series, which is my Amish/vampire book, releases August 2011. Then True Grits, a B&H release, comes out September 2011.
Thanks so much, Patty, for having me here! Blessings to you and your readers.

Leanna is giving away a copy of Facelift. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, October 18th and check back on Tuesday, October 19th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on yesterday's spotlight with Leanna Ellis. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

But Leanna hopes she allows God in the driver’s seat as she taxies her two children to and from all their activities, lets her menagerie of pets in and out … in and out ..., figures out what to cook for dinner (or where to order takeout), and at the same time keeps those wacky characters in her head from bothering others.

Winner of the National Readers Choice Award, Leanna writes quirky women’s fiction along with an upcoming Amish/vampire series, now that’s wacky!

A ‘can do’ kind of woman runs her own business, raises her teenage daughter, and takes care of her ex-mother-in-law after a botched facelift. But Kaye learns a facelift is more than skin deep. Joy is more than tacking on a happy face. It's relying on her sovereign God who has a plan for her life.
Facelift…it’s more than skin deep.

Here's an excerpt of Facelift:

Once upon a time implies a fairy tale is about to unfold, something lush and grand and mythical, something with a happy ending. But the brothers Grimm had a twisted sense of humor and, as it turns out, “once upon a time” is actually literary gobbledygook for “impending doom.”1

They weren’t called Grimm for nothing.

In tale after tale, “once upon a time” invariably precedes certain disaster. Just ask Snow White, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty. They’ll back me up on this. Those innocuous few words are the harbinger of cursing fairies, parental fatalities and death marches into dark forests for the near perfect princesses. Not that I consider myself a fairy princess by any stretch of the warped imagination, or even remotely close to perfect, but like those fair, aforementioned ladies, my own story begins with “once upon a time.”

If I’d only been given a five-minute warning.

Doom comes to call for me on a warm autumn day, when the grass is still green and a slight breeze ruffling the yet-to-turn-brown leaves. No letter from the IRS arrives. No mammogram shows an area of concern. God doesn’t send a lightning bolt to strike my house. The announcement comes in the form of Darth Vader’s theme song amplified in the confines of my Volvo. The ominous tune marches out of my cell phone with determination and self-importance, the perfect reflection of the one calling, and prickles the hairs at the base of my neck.

Leanna Ellis is giving away a copy of Facelift. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Monday, October 18th and check back on Tuesday, October 19th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on tomorrow's interview with Leanna Ellis. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Today marks the beginning of my yearly 40 day birthday celebration, and I have to tell you—I'm really looking forward to it this year. It's a special time for me. A time of seeking God's face for the upcoming year.

This year I'm studying the book of 1 Samuel, and because I'm so anxious for this time, and because the study I'm using (Kay Arthur's Desiring God's Own Heart) is longer than 40 days, I began a few days early. =] I just could not wait, and I am sooo glad! I needed Hannah's story this weekend. As I read it and studied it, these verses kept running through my mind:

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold: I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O peoples; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. ~Psalm 64:5-8 NAS

Hannah expressed this and lived this in such detail for us in the first two chapters of 1 Samuel. She poured out her heart to God, and when she left the house of the Lord, “her face was no longer sad.” (1 Samuel 1:18) She trusted God to take care of her brokenness, and just look at all He did in and through her life. And look at the beauty of her life—even after all these years.

I cannot wait to see what these 40 days hold for me. ...for my hope is from Him.

Curious about why I celebrate like this for 40 days? Here's why. This is something I cannot recommend highly enough. It's changed my life.

Chapter 2 closes with Mordecai saving the king's life and the king forgetting to reward him, and chapter 3 starts off with Haman being promoted instead. What a blow that must have been to Esther and Mordecai. But even with that event, we don't see Mordecai bad mouthing Haman.

While everyone else is bowing in homage to Haman, Mordecai alone refuses to bow. This wasn't just a whim. This was a well thought out thing he did. And it wasn't just a one time event. This went on day after day—enough that others in the king's gate questioned him about it. Since he's the only one standing, it's safe to guess that he didn't try to persuade others to his thinking. He simply did what he felt he had to. “Mordecai's made-up mind was stronger than his mood.” He was operating off his mind-set, not his mood, and because of it he stood strong even though he was alone.

What a good lesson for us! When we operate off our mood, we do not live consistently, but when our mind is set and we live according to that, we can stand strong.

When Haman was told about Mordecai he was “filled with rage.” Now Haman was a cunning man and rather than just go after Mordecai, he devised a plan for all the Jews. Persians were very superstitious people, so he cast lots for the “lucky day” to annihilate the Jews, and the lot fell to a date eleven months away.

Because Satan has a limited leash where believers are concerned, his most powerful tactics are psychological. Though he can't possess our minds, he profoundly and destructively influences our thoughts. ~Beth Moore

So, Hamam sidles up to King Xerxes, takes a truth and uses it to manipulate the king. To sweeten the deal, Haman bribes him, knowing the king's coffers had taken a hit when the Greeks defeated him twice. And just look at the king's response! He swallows Haman's lies whole—without even checking the validity of what he'd been told! But not just that, the king hands over his signet ring. He gave Haman a signed, blank check and said, “Whatever you want.”

And what did Haman want? To destroy, kill and annihilate the Jews.
Sounds like someone else we're all far too familiar with. What does Jesus say about Satan in John 10:10? That he wants to steal, kill, and destroy.

The edict was sent out and did you see when they received it? Passover! (Leviticus 23:4-5) So right after hearing the edict they were reminded of how God who they were and how God had delivered them. Hope against hope for them!

Sometimes God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from our active file into the archives. ~Beth Moore

This week we do Week 4: If You Remain Silent. If you have the audios or the videos of this study, listen to or watch Session 3: The Human Dilemma of Destiny. If you don't have them, you can download this week's audio here for $3.99 and the video here for $4.99. These are optional. If you do not have the audio or the video, you can find the Viewer Guide answers here. This week's viewer guide is on pages 80 & 81 in the workbook.

Since Esther 4 is the pivotal point in both Esther's life and in the book of Esther, we're spending two weeks on it.As you study this week, be on the look out for this week's scenario:

It's tough being a woman thrown a giant-sized weight.

God will often use something huge to pivot us, something that's critical to the path He wants us on. Many times we're stuck in a rut on our path and God uses crisis to get us pointed a different direction. If you look at the people God used in Biblical times, He often called them at THE worse time possible for them, and they felt it was an unreasonable request.

Not only that, but in this chapter Mordecai tells Esther to go to the king and tell him who she really is—a Jew. There needs to be transparency in our lives. If we aren't transparent with others, we loose our testimony. How can they know how God has worked in our lives, if we aren't willing to open up and tell people the truth about us?

The revelation of a person's destiny always demands a revelation of the person. Consider the wording “if you remain silent at this time.” The Hebrew word translated silent in this verse can also be translated concealed. ~Beth Moore.

This is a tough one for many of us. There are things we just want to put behind us and forget, but God wants to use them. After all, He put those very things in our lives for a purpose.And who knows whether it may be for such a time as this?

Since Patty quit running from God's call on her life and surrendered her pen to Him, she's been happy. Life is never dull as she juggles being a wife, mom to a handful of kids and a couple of Capuchin monkeys, life on the road, and being a writer. As long as she's obeying God's leading, she figures that sanity is a novelty and not a necessity in the zoo she lives in. Patty clings to the promise that God will enable her to do what He asks of her, otherwise she would be living with the scaredy cats at the Funny Farm and not just occasionally visiting. You can find her on Instagram, too, where she daily sneaks in a few sane moments.